Galicia PAU Music Analysis II / Análisis Musical II 2º Bachillerato CIUG exam-day guide
Galicia PAU Music Analysis II / Análisis Musical II 2º Bachillerato CIUG · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
DNI or official photo ID
Bring the original document, valid and in good condition; it must match the name on your registration. If you have any doubt about which documents are accepted, confirm with the CIUG or your exam centre beforehand.
Printed exam schedule and room assignment
Check the CIUG calendar and the venue assigned to you the week before. Write down the exact building, floor and classroom, and arrive with time to spare because PAU venues are usually large and access can be slow.
Pens, pencils and eraser
Bring at least two blue or black ballpoint pens (answers written in pencil may not be accepted), a pencil for rough work, a good eraser and a sharpener. Carry them in a transparent pencil case if your centre requires it.
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Exam rooms do not always have a visible clock. A simple analogue or digital watch without connectivity lets you control the time for each section; smartwatches are normally forbidden, so leave them at home.
Printed scores or excerpts provided by your centre
If your centre distributes the scores in advance or allows you to bring the official materials, check with your teacher exactly what is permitted. Otherwise the scores will be handed out with the paper; never bring your own annotated copies of the set works unless explicitly authorised.
Ruled paper or answer booklet instructions
Read the cover of the paper: it tells you whether answers go in the booklet provided, on separate sheets, or both. Number every answer clearly and leave margins so the marker can follow your structure.
Water bottle and a light snack
The analysis paper can run long and the session may be scheduled close to another exam. A transparent bottle and something small to eat between papers help you stay focused; check your centre's rules on food and drink in the room.
No phone, smartwatch, earbuds or notes
Leave these switched off and stored outside the room as instructed. Possession of an electronic device or unauthorised notes during the exam is normally treated as a serious irregularity.
Review the set works and the analysis vocabulary
Go over the works on the official syllabus: form, harmonic language, texture, instrumentation and the historical context of each. Be ready to identify and comment on short excerpts, not only to describe whole pieces from memory.
Practise writing timed analyses
Do at least two full timed run-throughs with the same structure you will use on the day: identification, form, harmony, texture and style, with brief justification for each claim.
Confirm the exact start time and access rules with your centre
Opening times, entry cut-offs and whether you may leave early vary by venue. Confirm with the provider rather than relying on what other students tell you.
Plan your journey and a backup
Check transport timetables for that morning, allow extra time for delays, and identify a backup route. Arriving late can cost you the paper regardless of how well prepared you are.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Do a final pass over the set works: write a one-page summary for each with form, key centres, main harmonic procedures, texture and instrumentation. Check that you can name the composer, period and genre of each work without hesitation.
Do one full timed paper under exam conditions, including handwriting the answers. Afterwards mark it against the criteria you have been taught and list the three weakest areas. Spend the remaining time only on those.
Prepare the physical kit: ID, pens, pencils, eraser, watch, water, printed schedule. Put everything in one bag so the morning is not spent searching for things. Confirm the venue, room and start time with your centre.
Review the terminology you will need to write precise answers: cadence types, harmonic functions, modulations, contrapuntal devices, formal labels and texture terms. Practise using them in short written sentences rather than as isolated definitions.
Rehearse your answer structure. For each likely question type, decide in advance how you will open, how many points you will make and how you will justify them with musical evidence from the score or excerpt.
Do a light review only: your one-page summaries and a short list of common mistakes. Do not start a new topic and do not stay up late; a rested mind performs better on an analysis paper than one more hour of cramming.
Lay out clothes, ID and the pencil case. Check transport for the morning and set two alarms. Re-read the CIUG instructions on what is allowed in the room so nothing is confiscated at the door.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive at the venue well before the stated time. Find your room, check the seating list and keep away from last-minute group revision that may confuse you.
Before entering, remind yourself of your time allocation. Once seated, switch off and stow your phone as instructed, place your ID on the desk if required, and read the cover page carefully.
Read the whole paper before writing. Note the marks for each question and the optional choices, and decide which options you will answer. Mark the time at which you should finish each section.
Answer the questions you know best first if the paper allows it, but keep the numbering clear. For each analysis point, state the observation and then the evidence: bar or section, chord or cadence, instrument or texture. Unsupported claims earn little credit.
Watch the clock at the halfway point and again ten minutes before the end. Reserve the final minutes to check that every required question is answered, that numbering matches the paper, and that your handwriting is legible.
Do not spend the gap re-analysing the paper with classmates. If you have another PAU paper the same day, eat, rest and switch focus to the next subject.
Rules to check
Bring your original DNI or an accepted official photo ID and keep it on the desk if the centre requires it. If you have lost it or are unsure which documents are accepted, confirm with the provider before the exam day; do not assume a photocopy or a photo on your phone will be accepted.
Phones, smartwatches, earbuds and any other electronic device must be switched off and left outside the exam room as instructed. Keeping a device on you during the exam can be treated as an irregularity even if you did not use it.
Unauthorised notes, annotated scores or pre-prepared analyses cannot be used unless your centre has explicitly authorised that material for this paper. Ask your teacher or the CIUG in advance rather than deciding on the day.
Follow the invigilators' instructions about seating, filling in your details and the moment you may open the paper. Do not start writing before you are told to, and stop immediately when time is called.
If you need to leave the room temporarily, raise your hand and wait to be accompanied, as the centre's rules require. Whether toilet breaks are allowed during the paper varies by venue, so confirm the local policy with the provider.
Scoring is based on the official criteria for this subject: accurate identification of the works and their context, correct use of analytical terminology, and well-argued comments supported by musical evidence. Write in the language of the exam and keep technical terms in their standard form.
If you believe there is an error in the paper or you need to report a problem, tell an invigilator immediately and follow the centre's procedure. Do not try to resolve it yourself or discuss it with other candidates during the exam.
Any irregularity can lead to the annulment of your paper or of the whole sitting. If you are unsure whether something you plan to do is permitted, ask before the exam rather than risk it.